The present invention relates to a drinking apparatus for pets and, more particularly, to a simple, durable structure of drinking apparatus for pets, which is easy to install.
FIGS. from 1 through 3 show a drinking apparatus for pets according to the prior art. This structure of drinking apparatus comprises a water feeder 1, and a mounting device 2 adapted to secure the water feeder to a support or the meshed wall of a pet cage. The water feeder 1 comprises a peripheral top flange 11, a middle collar 14, and two symmetrical pairs of locating ribs 15 bilaterally disposed above and below the collar 14. The mounting device 2 comprises a feeder holder 21 made of flexible material, and two locating grooves 22 disposed in the feeder holder 21 at two sides. The water feeder 1 is vertically mounted in the feeder holder 21 of the mounting device 2, with one pair of locating ribs 15 engaged into the locating grooves 22 and the peripheral top flange 11 or middle collar 14 supported above the feeder holder 21. When the pet pushes the ball 12 with the tongue, the water outlet 13 of the water feeder 1 is opened to let water flow out of the water feeder 1 for drinking. This structure of drinking apparatus has numerous drawbacks as outlined hereinafter.
1. Not durable in use: Because the water feeder 1 is directly forced into the feeder holder 21 or pulled out the feeder holder 21 through the opening defined between two distal ends of the C-shaped holder wall of the feeder holder 21, the feeder holder 21 tends to be permanently deformed or damaged after long uses, causing the water feeder 1 unable to be positively secured to the feeder holder 21.
2. Not orthopedically engineered: Because the upper half of the water feeder 1 must be kept in vertical during installation, it is inconvenient to fasten the water feeder 1 to the feeder holder 21 of the mounting device 2 in the narrow cage space. Much effort should be employed when fastening the water feeder 1 to the mounting device 2.
3. Easy to damage the support: Because much effort is employed to the water feeder 1 when fastening the water feeder 1 to the mounting device 2, the support (meshed wall of the pet cage) tends to be permanently deformed or damaged.
The present invention has been accomplished to provide a drinking apparatus for pets, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a drinking apparatus for pets, which is durable in use.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a drinking apparatus for pets, which is orthopedically engineered.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a drinking apparatus for pets, which does not cause damage to the support during its installation.
To achieve these and other objects of the present-invention, a drinking apparatus is provided; comprised of a mounting device for mounting, the mounting device having a C-shaped feeder holder made of rigid material and a positioning groove of T-shaped cross section disposed in the C-shaped feeder holder on the middle, and a water feeder mounted in the C-shaped feeder holder and adapted to provide a supply of water to pets, the water feeder having a peripheral top flange supported above the C-shaped feeder holder, and two locating rods of T-shaped cross section selectively engaged into the positioning groove. Because the C-shaped feeder holder is made of rigid material, it does not deform when it receives a pressure from the water feeder.